Housing benefit payments due on 23 December 2024 will be paid on this date as normal. The usual four-weekly or fortnightly payments will resume from the second week of January 2025.
How to Claim
The amount of benefit you get depends on the level of your capital and income, together with your circumstances.
Claiming help towards your rent
If you are of working age you will need to claim Universal Credit for help towards your rent unless you fall into one of these categories:
- You are a pensioner
- You live in exempt accommodation
- Have been placed in temporary accommodation by our Housing Options Team
Find out more by visiting the Universal Credit website link at the bottom of the page.
Citizens Advice Leicestershire can support you to make a new claim for Universal Credit, from opening your account to receiving your first payment. You can find the link below.
Unless you are in receipt of Pension Credit (Guarantee Credit), the capital limit for making a claim is £16,000.
Claiming Council Tax Support
If you wish to apply for help towards your Council Tax charge you will need to claim Council Tax Support, even if you receive Universal Credit.
To claim Council Tax Support, and help towards your rent if you fall into one of the categories above, please complete the form below.
Unless you are in receipt of Pension Credit (Guarantee Credit), the capital limit for making a claim is £16,000.
To claim you will need to register or login to My Account, select My Benefits and then 'make a new claim'.
Login to My Account
If you're already signed in to My Account use this link. Once you are signed into My Account, select My Benefits.
Register for an account
After registering, you will be taken to your online My Account where you will find a link to My Benefits.
If you are in receipt of a Universal Credit award, we do not require the requested evidence, such as proof of your identification, proof of your income or proof of your capital. However we will still require evidence for any non-dependants in the property or any other evidence not verified by your Universal Credit award. If any further documentation is required once you have submitted your claim, the Benefits team will contact you to notify you.
For all other claims:
You will need to provide evidence to support your claim by:
- Uploading the information when filling in the online form
- Emailing the information
- Posting the information to the Council's Offices - Please be careful about sending valuable documents like a passport through the post. Please ensure that you put the correct postage on any packages so that the information reaches us
- To supply your documents in person at the Council Offices, please call the Benefits Team to arrange an appointment
You should not delay in submitting your form to us.
Supporting documents are to be supplied to us within one month of submitting your form. No reminders will be issued for these and if they are not received a decision will be made on your claim that you are not entitled.
Home visits
In exceptional circumstances, for example if you are ill or have mobility problems, we can arrange a home visit. If you do have a home visit please ensure that all the supporting documentation for your claim is available. Please contact the Benefits Team to arrange this.